The Bush administration has ordered the Pentagon to prepare contingency plans for using nuclear arms against at least seven countries and to build smaller nuclear weapons for use in certain battlefield situations, the Los Angeles Times reported Saturday.
The secret Pentagon report, which was reportedly provided to Congress on January 8, claimed that the Pentagon needs to be prepared to use nuclear weapons against China, Russia, Iraq, North Korea, Iran, Libya and Syria, the Times reported in a front-page story. A copy of the report was reportedly obtained by defense analysts and a Times contributor.
The report also listed three types of situations for use of nuclear weapons: against targets able to withstand nonnuclear attack; in retaliation for attack with nuclear, biological or chemical weapons; or in the event of surprising military developments.
"This marks the first time that an official list of potential target countries has come to light," the report quoted analysts as saying. Some analysts predicted that the disclosure will set off strong reactions from government of the target countries.
Arms control advocates said the report's directives on development of smaller nuclear weapons could signal that the Bush administration is more willing to overlook a long-standing taboo against using nuclear weapons except as a last resort, the report said.
They warned that such moves could dangerously destabilize the world by encouraging other countries to believe that they, too, should develop weapons, the report added.
John Issacs, President of the Council for a Livable World, was quoted as blasting the Bush administration for "trying desperately to find new uses for nuclear weapons, when their uses should be limited to deterrence." "This is very, very dangerous talk," Issacs told the Times.
(Xinhua News Agency March 10, 2002)
